Tea Tree Oil. I have the WORST acne in the world and nothing seems to work longer than 6 months. I have oily skin all the time. A lady at Clinque told me (after spending way too much money on their stuff) that I am over exfoliating. I was following the reigme that was on the box but If you over exfoliate it makes your skin dry and then produces more oil...more pimples. I have since stopped that and now use the tea tree oil when I breakout. It working so far.

In the past I used differin gel, cetaphil, proactive..... nothing really worked
I finally have a different mix of Mary Kay products, and honestly it has done such a great job, even with getting rid of the reddness, that I usually don't even wear makeup.

Sorry this is taking me so long to reply, but the castor oil thing is AWESOME. I steam it on my face (like the instructions you googled), and do that at night and at the end, use olive oil to moisturize. In the morning, I put olive oil on my face and it's FABULOUS. (And cheap!) I tissue (or towel) off any excess, but it's rare.

And I don't have to blot grease later on in the afternoon... yay!


ETA: I agree w/ the tea tree oil. If you over exfoliate, you'll end up OVER producing oil. Hence, why the olive oil thing works beautifully.

* sigh *

I have had acne for 1/2 my life, literally. Ok so I'm only 21 but I am so sic of it. I have tried everything.

Proactive - didn't work
bc pills - still use but don't do a thing for acne
acne rx - nothing
other lotions used to treat acne rx - nothing
countless otc acne treatments/cleansers/scrubs/moisturizers - nothing
praying - sadly, i think i might go to hell for being that vain.

it's not as bad as it was when I first started getting it, but it is constant. and on my face,neck,arms,chest. and im a compulsive skin picker so I have so many disgusting scars all over my body. I know it doesn't make it better and just makes it look worse than it is.

I do not want to go on Accutane because depression runs heavily in my family, like everyone in my family has it and is on medication for it. I do not think that I want to take a medication that has made people commit suicide. Nope.

I hope someday that I will be acne free, but unless I go back to like 8 years old.. I think I'm stuck forever.

I highly recommend the book The Acne Cure it has a step-by-step regimine to follow that really does wonders on acne. It's a very dry read but it works and really helps you understand the causes of your acne. Heres a link to it on amazon http://www.amazon.com/Acne-Cure-Nonprescription-Dramatic-Results/dp/0446692417/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216495097&sr=8-1 you can get used ones for under $1

Or if you want the quick summary, go here http://makeupalley.com/product/srevi...01/rid=332528/
and heres another one http://makeupalley.com/product/showr...kincare_-_Face

But seriously it does help ALOT. Now that my skin is under control my basic routine is: Wash face in shower, apply benzol proxide and leave on a few minutes and rinse, THen I use a Salicylic acid moistorizer under my makeup during the day. At night I apply a 10% AHA cream. Of course I NEVER got to bed without washing my face and I wash my makeup off as soon as I get home. The only time I use ice anymore is when I get a huge zit (usually after I've been lazy about my routine).

Seriously it sounds like a lot of work and effort but it does work!

Ok, I've battled acne my entire life, ever since puberty came and smacked my in the face with it. Most of my acne is caused by oily skin, and when I shave, the hairs on my face grown back under the skin. I've run the gambit of cures, anywhere from over the counter meds to accutane, and nothing helped me. That was until I found Benzaclin. This stuff is the only thing that I have found that will help me control my acne. Now, this has to be prescribed, and it's not cheap. Even with my insurance, it's still close to $50 for a jar that lasts me about 2 - 3 months, depending on how often you use it. But if you look at the website, they have a $15 rebate form for your first prescription.

Hopefully this gives you another option that you might not have had.

I am nearly 50, have had acne all my life, & have oily facial skin, even on the BC pill, & even after a hysterectomy.
I discovered this, 10 yrs. ago, & it has changed my life, significantly: The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil facial cleanser. I wash twice a day with a soft, facial brush or soft nail brush, first soaked for about 1 min. in hot water, like in a cup. The tea tree oil is a natural astringent, & with the soft brush, you are exfoliating. I can actually wake up in the morning w/out my face feeling like a grease pit. Oh, & my blackheads: have diminished greatly. Plus, I try very, very hard: keep my hands off my face. Plus I can tell if I miss 1 day of not washing with the tea tree facial wash, as my face starts to break out again.
It is one of a few products that does NOT dry your face out. If, for some reason, you need a moisturizer, there is one w tea tree oil.
If you have a teenager that has a bad case of acne, it is worth investing in a small bottle of this product, but must religiously wash the face twice a day with it.
Another thing a lot of women do NOT do that contributes greatly to acne: once a wk. wash your makeup brushes & sponges (eyes, face for makeup, etc) with antibacterial soap, rinse well & dry appropriately.
The Body Shop: is in several of the bigger malls, or find them on line & I believe there is a store locator. This was a natural, organic company started yrs. ago by a British woman, who just a few yrs. ago sold it to L'Oreal.
Yes, I am a Registered Nurse, & have tried many products over the yrs., & this has been the only one that has worked for me.

1 time: bought the foaming facial wash, then have Refilled it with the regular facial wash, just thin a little w H20 to foam better when I refill it. PLUS: we have a Water Softener, which makes ALL soaps, shampoos, cream rinse, detergents, etc. go TWICE as far, & foam/lather up much better.

AND it's on sale right now, too, check it out:
The Body Shop - Natural Beauty Products inspired by Nature and Ethically made

Here's the link for the entire Tea Tree Oil Line:
The Body Shop

I use Bonnie Bell 10-0-6. It is the only product that doesn't burn my sensitive skin and clears the acne. Ughhhhh acne at 43 not pretty!

How old are you? Adult acne in women over 30 is usually caused due to some king of hormonal imbalance. I am 32 and have finally gotten my acne under control with a combination of metformin, spironolactone and bc pills. The bc pills alone are not enough. Also, you should have your blood sugar and thyroid tested.

On my face I use aveeno, the bar kind with oatmeal. It is cheap and what my dermatologist recommends. If I do get a pimple (Only had 2 in the last 6 months!!!) I use dove soap and water on it twice a day. Also, for moisturizer I use Neutrogena Anti Blemish Anti Aging moisturizer. About $14 but lasts me a couple of months. Hope this helps.

I used to go to a dermatologist for my acne and she had an over the counter system she sold - I recently found it online - the Product name is Glytone and it is the best - somewhat pricey but works excellent! I have had acne all my life and it has actually gotten worse as I get older (I'm in my late 30's).... I wish I would have had this product when I was in my early 20's...

Glytone Skin Care - Glycolic Acid Products at DermStore

I cannot put any kind of oil on my face whatsoever - have to watch any kind of shampoo even that has oil in it or I will have big break-outs. The Glytone products do not dry my face out or make it red.

Hope this can help someone....

Lorie

You are on spironolactone for acne? As a nurse, I know this is a potassium sparing diuretic. & metformin is glucophage, Type II antidiabetic. Possibly the side effects of these drug combinations have changed your system somehow.
Pimples/acne can happen to adults, even over 30 yo women, & not necessarily caused by a hormonal imbalance. I've seen acne in 60 & 80 yo men. Yes, they were my home care patients.
A pimple is basically caused by bacteria that has entered the skin. That is why it is important to keep your hands off your face as much as possible, (this also includes your kids & grandkid's hands), as our hands are bacterial laden, & also wash your face twice a day.

I've used the Benzaclin myself and it works wonderful. It is pricey though. I had to find a good alternative when my son hit puberty otherwise we would've gone in the poor house. Here's what we did. Benzaclin is a mixture of Benzoyl peroxide and an antibiotic called Clindamycin. What you are paying for is to have the pharmacy blend the two together. My doctor gave me a prescription for just Clindamycin lotion. It is about $37 before insurance and only about $5 after. We use this and if we need the drying effect of Benzoyl Peroxide we buy a cheap tube of it at Walmart for about $3. Sure you end up applying two different items instead of one, but the money savings is worth it. Also, this way, you can control how dry you get!

I know it is not a proactive treatment but my wife had heard that once you have zits that putting toothpaste on them (paste, not gel) will dry them up. She tried it the other night (applied before going to bed & left on at night) & said that it really worked well.

It doesn't get cheaper to try than toothpaste on this website... God knows CVS & the other drugstores practically pay us to take it.......I need to try some myself.

Our house uses a script from a dermatologist called BenzaClin. I'm 45ish soon to be 46(I'll die having acne LOL) any way it works like a charm on me and my teenage boys. But we have to be faithful with it. Sometimes things clear up and I don't use it and the acne comes right back.

Has anyone ever tried Juliet's Organic line? My dd has acne and has tried so many products. Just wondering before ordering yet another if this may work?

Tea Tree Oil does wonders! I was using Clinique also and just can't afford it.
My mother uses Biore.